Where Filmed

Where is Riverdale filmed? Updated Guide to the series Filming Locations

Welcome to a town where everything looks perfect, but nothing is as it seems - Riverdale is based on a darker, updated version of the old American comic book, sharing universe with the new Netflix series Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Archie and his gang are back for Season 3 with new adventures, and also new filming locations.

The CW Network TV series revolves around the stories of romance, sex, school and mysteries of a town at an unspecified location where Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead and friends live. The cast is led by the quartet of young actors K.J. Apa, Lili Reinhart, Camila Mendes and Cole Sprouse.

The real location of the fictional medium-sized town of Riverdale is intentionally ambiguous; It could be anywhere in the American Midwest, or along the Eastern Seaboard, or even a place in Canada, or a suburb in New York. According to Wikipedia, in one issue of the Jughead's Double Digest magazine, an editor commented that 'Riverdale is more of a state of mind than an actual physical location'.

Riverdale was filmed in Vancouver and British Columbia. As usual, we are updating every week this report with new info and details about the shooting locations of this intriguing show, set to be visually stunning. Also after three seasons we've tried to keep spoilers at bay, and I think we've done a pretty good job:

The restaurant Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe was built in a set located in the parking lot of the studio in Langley. You can go there and see it from the street! However, the pilot was filmed in Rocko’s Family Diner. This is the real inspiration of the popular hang out, that you can also visit in Mission, BC. In the series, the underground bar La Bonne Nuit is housed underneath Pop's - probably the speakeasy is also a set built in the studios.
(You can open all the locations on a Map clicking on the link below in the captions ↴)Image courtesy of The CW and Google Maps

Exteriors for Riverdale High School were shot at Lord Byng Secondary School. Our favourite High School is actually an amalgam of several locations. Depending on the scene, the crew filmed at Burnaby Mountain Secondary School or at John Oliver Secondary School in Vancouver. Image courtesy of CW and Arnold C - Map

The gymnasium where the Vixens train is at John Oliver Secondary School in Vancouver, home of the Jokers. Some football games and other outdoor scenes took place in the field near this School in Kerrisdale Park at Bear Creek Park in Surrey. Image courtesy of CW and John Oliver Secondary School

The hall from Point Grey Secondary School in Kerrisdale was the venue for several performances. Here was filmed the ball from the first episodes, a Josie and the Pussycats gig and Carrie: The Musical (S02E18).Image courtesy of CW - Map 1 - Map 2

The house of Archie and his father is located at 2037 East 3rd Avenue (Vancouver).Image by courtesy of CW and Google Maps

The Permanent building in downtown Vancouver is the set for The Pembrooke, the luxurious apartment of Veronica's family. This elegant 1906 heritage edifice used to be a bank, and it has been preserved and restored to serve as venue for weddings and special events. Image by courtesy of CW and Google Maps

The house of Betty Cooper is at 111 Queens Ave in New Westminster.Image by courtesy of CW - Map

Thornhill, the first Blossom Mansion, was filmed in two different properties. The main one is Copper Stone Mansion in South Langley (upper picture), which served as the family residence until the end of season 1. The other one is the Cecil Green Park House at the University of British Columbia, used only for the pilot (below). Some interiors of the house party scenes and out by the pool were filmed at the Minnekhada Lodge in Coquitlam. Image by BC Locations and Wyn Lok - Map 1 - Map 2 - Map 3

The new Blossom Manor in season 2, called Thistle House, is also located at the outskirts of Langley. This is the same location used for the Salvatore Boarding House in The Vampire Diaries pilot episode.Image courtesy of CW - Map

Blossom Maple Farms may look familiar as the location is the same as the Kent farm from Smallville (890 248 St in Aldergrove near Langley). This is also the same farm where Archie and Jughead arrive near a town called Athens in the 3rd season episode titled 'The Man in Black' (S03E07). Image courtesy of CW - Map

Andrew's construction office is located near the Lighthouse Cafe in Mission. You can still see some of the elements used in the set in Google Maps (picture below). Image courtesy of CW and Google Maps

The historic Fort Langley Community Hall is doubling as the Town Hall, and has been used in several episodes of the series. Image by Google Maps

The sheriff's office exterior was shot in a post office at 33191 1st Ave in Mission. The aerial images from the intro in every episode are from Harbor Springs in Michigan, in the United States. Image courtesy of CW and Google Maps

Gabby's Country Cabaret in Langley was turned into the Whyte Wyrm, the local hangout of the Southside Serpents or the Ghoulies gangs. Image by Google Maps

In S01E06 Betty and Jughead were visiting the Sisters of Quiet Mercy, filmed at the abandoned Riverview Mental Hospital in Coquitlam. It also reappears during Season 3. The location was used in Season 2 as Southside High, during the protests when the school is about to be turned into a prison. Exteriors for Southside High were filmed at James Kennedy Elementary School in Langley. Image by courtesy of CW and Google Maps

Outdoors for Sweetwater river were shot around Alouette Lake, in Golden Ears Provincial Park and Alice Lake in Squamish. Some more secondary locations from Season 1: Rebel Without a Cause is the last movie projected in the Twilight Drive-in of Aldergrove in S01E04. Port Moody Station Museum served as Riverdale bus station. The City Centre Motor Hotel in Vancouver was the Mustang's Motel from episode 8. Image courtesy of CW - Map

Filming locations from the second season onwards

Fort Langley Marina Park was used several times in Season 2. Some other scenes in Fort Langley were filmed in Mavis Ave and Church Street. The exteriors of the Riverdale's hospital in S02E01 is the Wayward Pines Academy recycled. It is located at Kerrina Dr in Coquitlam. Image courtesy of CW - Marina Park Map - Hospital Map

The temple used for Veronica's confirmation with the Lodges is the St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Vancouver. At the end of midseason 2 finale there is a key scene filmed at the old Albion Ferry exit in Fort Langley, looking like a bridge. Image courtesy of CW - Church Map - Map

Cheryl and others go to the movies at The Park Theatre on Cambie Street, also in Vancouver (S2E14). The cabin in the woods by the lake (the Lodge Lodge) from this episode was filmed at Fairweather Lodge in Cowan’s Point, Bowen Island. The funeral from S2E19 was filmed at Mountain View Cemetery in Vancouver.Image courtesy of CW and Google Maps

Season 3 filming locations

The prison and the fighting pit in an empty pool were shot in the former site of Burnaby Youth Correction Center (Willingdon at Canada Way). The trial was filmed in one of the buildings of Vancouver Art Gallery, the old Vancouver Law Courts. Image courtesy of CW - Google Maps

Can you help to improve this article about the filming locations of Riverdale? To complete and correct this report, any feedback, info or images that you may have are more than welcome, thank you!

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If you liked the series well-selected soundtrack, you can find here the songs from the series season 1 (why not to get the vintage Limited Edition in audio CD?). Finally, here is a link to watch all the episodes of the show online, as they are released in Amazon.

In the episode "Chapter Five: Heart of Darkness," Archie visits a songwriting teacher named Oscar. The exterior establishing shot for Oscar's location was shot at University of Southern California, specifically the PE Building there.

Fun Fact: Where the Riverdale studio is located on 100A Avenue in Langley is actually quite popular for filming - "Supergirl" is in the studio next door... and "The 100" shoots in the studio across the street.